Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program: Japanese Studies

The Ph.D. program in East Asian languages and literatures is designed to provide students with a high level of competence in their area of specialization and a familiarity with applicable methodologies and theories. The program has four components: course work, comprehensive examination, prospectus for the dissertation, and the dissertation itself.

Specific courses and projects used to fulfill requirements must be approved by the student’s adviser, who works with the other faculty members to develop the student’s program

The Ph.D. with a specialization in Japanese Studies requires students to successfully complete nine graduate courses beyond the number required for the M.A. degree. These courses must be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser. Appropriate courses in related fields (e.g., Japanese history, religion) may be substituted with the adviser’s approval.

Course Work

Students must successfully complete nine graduate courses including:

Three courses in Japanese literature and/or film (with at least one course in each area)

One course in an interdisciplinary subfield

Two courses in critical theory and/or film theory, preferably in the Japanese studies sector

One course in Japanese linguistics or teaching methodology

Admits beginning Fall 2014
Students in the EALL Ph.D. track must successfully complete a comprehensive examination and prospectus defense (culture students) or qualifying paper (linguistics students) in order to advance to candidacy (ABD, all but dissertation) status. By the end of their second year in the Ph.D. program at the very latest, each student should identify a committee of three professors who will oversee their training for the comprehensive examination. Since each person’s needs and interests may be different, students are expected to work closely with their primary advisor at all stages of the process.

The goal of the comprehensive examination is to make sure that students are broadly enough trained that they are qualified to teach beyond the narrow research focus of their dissertation. The comprehensive examination is composed of a written and an oral component.

In conjunction with their primary advisor, students will choose three fields: a major field and two minor fields, each to be advised by a professor in that area. Cultural fields may be determined by genre, time period, or methodology; Linguistic fields may be determined by theoretical orientation, language orientation, and methodology. In conjunction with their advisors, students will develop a reading list of 20-40 items for each field.For culture students these items may include both primary and secondary texts; the composition of each reading list will be tailored to the individual student’s needs. It is expected that reading lists will develop organically from graduate seminars and readings and conferences.

Advisors have two weeks to read and approve each comprehensive examination paper. After the three comprehensive examination papers have been approved by the field examiner and the primary advisor, the student will schedule an oral examination. The oral examination, to last one to two hours, is an opportunity for the three examiners to engage the student in a broad conversation about the items on the reading lists. The goal of the oral examination is to ensure that students have enough familiarity with both the critical and primary works in the field to teach at the post-secondary level. The oral examination is not open to the public.

Prospectus Defense (for Culture Track)

In order to leave enough time for the dissertation research and writing, the prospectus defense should take place during the third year of study and no later than the winter term of the fourth year. Students who are unable to complete a viable prospectus by spring of their fourth year in the Ph.D. program will be granted a terminal M.A.

A committe consisting of the advisor and a second faculty member familiar with the sub-field will referee the qualifying paper. The student may be asked to revise the qualifying paper before it is accepted as satisfactory work. Upon documented completion of the paper, the student needs to identify a dissertation committee (three faculty from EALL and one outside member) and notify the graduate secretary. At this point the student will confirm the dissertation topic and present a prospectus, which for linguistics students constitutes a short abstract detailing their research topic. This should be done within one term of completing the qualifying paper. After the prospectus has been approved, the student will advance to candidacy.

Comments

The comprehensive examination is distinct from the dissertation prospectus (culture) or qualifying paper (linguistics). The comprehensive examination papers and oral examination involve general perparation and give the student an opportunity to show broad knowledge of a field. The prospectus defense for culture-track students is more narrowly focused on the dissertation project and demonstrates the student’s ability to identify and define a research project. Similarly, the qualifying paper for linguistics students is focused on the student’s main research area and demonstrates the ability to undertake a research project. The comprehensive examination and prospectus defense or qualifying paper enable students to demonstrate that they can be successful as teachers and researchers. Students will advance to ABD status after the successful completion of both comprehensive examination and prospectus defense (culture) or qualifying paper (linguistics) in addition to completion of all required coursework.

Comprehensive Examination (admits prior to Fall 2014)

Candidates for the Ph.D. must pass a comprehensive examination, which consists of six questions covering the student’s major fields of study. A committee is chosen by the student in consultation with his or her adviser, which consists of three faculty members, at least two of whom are members of the department. With input from the student, the committee prepares questions based on an approved bibliography. Each student is given five days in which to write and submit answers to four of the six questions. If the committee finds that the student has not performed adequately on one question, the student may, at the discretion of the committee, be allowed one opportunity to retake the examination in that subfield before the end of the following term. Students who fail more than one question have their status as doctoral students terminated.

Prospectus and Dissertation

Immediately following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, a dissertation committee is formed by the student and the graduate secretary. This committee advises the student on writing the dissertation and approves the completed dissertation. The student presents to this committee, within one month, a dissertation proposal with a bibliography. After approval of this prospectus, the student becomes eligible to enroll in Dissertation (JPN 603).

* The student who has taken a M.A. comprehensive exam in Japanese studies at the EALL department does not need to take a Ph.D. comprehensive exam. However, the student needs to orally defend her/his dissertation prospectus within one academic term after the completion of course work. The Major purposes of the prospectus defense in a timely manner are to facilitate the student’s completion of her/his dissertation as well as to let the faculty community clearly know the progress of the student toward the completion.